Sons of Anarchy: Still Worth Watching for the Bikes

Season four of FX’s motorcycle-gang drama Sons of Anarchy opens with the gang’s leaders finishing a stint in prison while the women who love them, fellow members who depend on them and the rivals who want to bury them await their return to the outside world.

If this sounds a bit like a kickoff for The Sopranos or a scene from the Godfather series, it is because the formula is so similar. Between the ebbs and flows of violence lie a compelling storylines, but I’m watching the season opener strictly for the bikes.

The show’s riding scenes are consistently well-shot and the rolling stock looks great. Sharp, disciplined formation riding sometimes gives the Sons the look of a military unit and contrasts with the all-over-the-road style we often associate with large, wild groups of riders.

The Sons’ machines are also neat, with trim, blacked out profiles. Sure, they are recognizable as Harley-Davidsons, but while the Milwaukee motorcycle giant has adopted the dusty matte-black look of outlaw bikes for some of its factory models, the Anarchy bikes are racier than anything you’ll find in a Harley brochure.

Some of the low-slung rides have small streamlined fairings surrounding their headlights with short windshields. They recall the front ends of vintage road-racing cycles from the 1940s and 1950s and are a departure from stereotypically flashy, loud and chrome-crusted movie gang bikes.

Last season Driver’s Seat spoke with motorcycle wrangler Chris Gorden about the bikes he acquires for the show and modifies to suit each character. He said that while some rival gangs are known for glitzy rides with flame paint jobs and outlandish exhaust pipes, he made sure the Sons’ bikes were more like “fighter planes,” with a minimally adorned, strictly business appearance. They remind me of my favorite Harleys – the sleek, black XLCRs, or Cafe Racers, of the late 1970s.

As the show progressed the riding sequences faded and angst-ridden dialogue took over and the main characters focused more on guns than bikes. The plot became more “Scarface” and less “Easy Rider.”

Comments (5 of 15)

Probably one of the best shows on TV.. I love Sons of Anarchy... Its a legit show and amazing writing. The bikes are great.. I think its the new look with everyone getting Dyna's....

It looks like they finally released Official Sons of Anarchy jackets. The company Piston clothing that makes motorcycle gear just got the license. 'They make the real patches too. Not trying to be a biker wannabe but just fan so they have different styles.

Thank you Jonathan for your continued support of Sons of Anarchy and in particular our motorcycles, stars in their own right. I am the Transportation Coordinator on SOA. My department is in charge of those bikes along with many other responsibilities. I hired both Chris Gorden, our former Picture Car and Motorcycle Captain for the first 3 seasons, and John Landon our mechanic who has maintained and modified our bikes for all 4 seasons. Chris has moved on to other projects but was a key part of our team and Kenny Youngblood has now taken over that role and we haven't skipped a beat. The bikes are a huge part of the show and John Landon does a phenomenal job caring for them on and off set. I am proud to be a member of the great crew on SOA and of the hard work done by the drivers in our department. Thanks, keep watching!